Leadman named new Bank Street BIA executive director

The organization representing merchants along Bank Street north of the Queensway didn’t have to look far to find its new chief executive.

Glebe BIA executive director Christine Leadman.

Former Ottawa city councillor Christine Leadman is set to take over as the executive director of the Bank Street Business Improvement Area. She previously held the same position with the the Glebe BIA to the south and headed up the Westboro BIA for more than decade.

“Bank Street is growing in a different direction, they have a lot more residential going in there, and I just felt it was a good fit for me in terms of their marketing strategy and how they see the (executive director) playing a role in that,” she said in an interview.

The area is currently seeing an influx of new high-rise condominium towers. Ms. Leadman said she is looking forward to working with the area’s merchants to help them capitalize on the street’s population growth.

This means making the area safe, clean and visually more appealing, she said.

“I think people have forgotten about Bank Street north and what it has to offer and the different demographics that it does cater to,” she said.

Ms. Leadman represented Kitchissippi Ward on Ottawa city council for four years starting in 2006. She became the executive director of the Glebe BIA in 2010 after losing her bid for re-election during the municipal election that year.